TWU statement on fleet services agreement
Here is the official statement from the Transport Workers Union.
TWU Fleet Service and Ground Service Workers at American Airlines Reach Tentative Agreement
Proposed four-year pact delivers nine percent base pay raises, six percent lump sum bonus, five additional holidays
Local union presidents vote to send agreement to rank-and file members
DALLAS – The TWU Fleet Service and Ground Service Bargaining Committee at American Airlines, representing more than 11,000 workers at dozens of locations across the United States, has reached a tentative agreement for a new four-year labor contract.
The proposed pact includes a 6 percent signing bonus, an immediate 3 percent structural base pay increase and three additional 2 percent structural increases, which will take effect 12 months, 24 months and 36 months following ratification, respectively.
“Considering the economic times in which we live, I believe it is imperative that our members have their voices heard in the direction they would have us move. If this agreement is ratified, it will provide significant pay increases to fleet service and ground service workers,” said Donny Tyndall, president of TWU Local 502, representing union members in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Santa Ana, and Tucson. “The local presidents who were at the bargaining table agreed that we should send this tentative agreement to our rank-and-file members for their decision.”
“We’ve negotiated long and hard with this company, and we’ve insisted that AMR executives recognize the sacrifices and contributions made by TWU members,” said Garry Drummond, director of TWU’s Air Transport Division. “Now, it’s up to our members to make a decision.”
Under terms of the tentative agreement, a typical fleet service clerk will earn over $23 by the end of the four-year contract, while a crew chief will earn more than $25 an hour.
TWU fleet service and ground service workers load and unload baggage, de-ice aircraft, direct planes on the ground, and provide additional “under the wing” fleet and ground service work at American Airlines gates in airports throughout the United States.
Additional provisions of the tentative agreement include:
Holidays increased: The proposed contract doubles the number of paid holidays, from five to ten, and increases holiday pay to double time from time and a half.
Sick leave: Sick days increased to eight, from five under the previous agreement.
Health care premiums frozen for active employees: AMR’s Value health plan will replace the $150 deductible standard plan and will become the contractual plan. Employee contributions to premiums for the contractual plans will be frozen at 2012 rates for 2013, 2014, and 2015. Workers in the $150 Standard plan will have options to enroll in other plans during enrollment for 2013 benefits.
Retiree health care: Benefits are unchanged for current retirees. Current employees who retire within three months following ratification will continue to participate in the existing pre-funding retiree health plan. Employees who retire after that date will have their pre-funded retiree health care contribution returned, and will pay the Value health plan premium (employee only rate) per person per month for retiree healthcare coverage.
Retirement: Pension benefits are unchanged for current retirees, and current active employees will continue to participate in AMR’s defined benefit plan. Employees hired following ratification will be participate in a company-matched defined contribution plan, no less favorable than the plans offered to management, with a maximum employer matching contribution of 5.5 percent.
Job security: Under terms of the tentative agreement, TWU members will no longer perform daytime cabin and fueling work or work as bus drivers. More than 1,200 employees now in these classifications, however, will have their jobs protected and will be transferred to other assignments within their city. In addition, the system protection date has been adjusted to 6/26/2000, providing job security to more than 1,000 Title III fleet service clerks hired on or before that date.
TWU fleet service and ground service workers will have the opportunity to review the agreement and vote at their respective work locations.
Here is the official statement from the Transport Workers Union.
TWU Fleet Service and Ground Service Workers at American Airlines Reach Tentative Agreement
Proposed four-year pact delivers nine percent base pay raises, six percent lump sum bonus, five additional holidays
Local union presidents vote to send agreement to rank-and file members
DALLAS – The TWU Fleet Service and Ground Service Bargaining Committee at American Airlines, representing more than 11,000 workers at dozens of locations across the United States, has reached a tentative agreement for a new four-year labor contract.
The proposed pact includes a 6 percent signing bonus, an immediate 3 percent structural base pay increase and three additional 2 percent structural increases, which will take effect 12 months, 24 months and 36 months following ratification, respectively.
“Considering the economic times in which we live, I believe it is imperative that our members have their voices heard in the direction they would have us move. If this agreement is ratified, it will provide significant pay increases to fleet service and ground service workers,” said Donny Tyndall, president of TWU Local 502, representing union members in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Santa Ana, and Tucson. “The local presidents who were at the bargaining table agreed that we should send this tentative agreement to our rank-and-file members for their decision.”
“We’ve negotiated long and hard with this company, and we’ve insisted that AMR executives recognize the sacrifices and contributions made by TWU members,” said Garry Drummond, director of TWU’s Air Transport Division. “Now, it’s up to our members to make a decision.”
Under terms of the tentative agreement, a typical fleet service clerk will earn over $23 by the end of the four-year contract, while a crew chief will earn more than $25 an hour.
TWU fleet service and ground service workers load and unload baggage, de-ice aircraft, direct planes on the ground, and provide additional “under the wing” fleet and ground service work at American Airlines gates in airports throughout the United States.
Additional provisions of the tentative agreement include:
Holidays increased: The proposed contract doubles the number of paid holidays, from five to ten, and increases holiday pay to double time from time and a half.
Sick leave: Sick days increased to eight, from five under the previous agreement.
Health care premiums frozen for active employees: AMR’s Value health plan will replace the $150 deductible standard plan and will become the contractual plan. Employee contributions to premiums for the contractual plans will be frozen at 2012 rates for 2013, 2014, and 2015. Workers in the $150 Standard plan will have options to enroll in other plans during enrollment for 2013 benefits.
Retiree health care: Benefits are unchanged for current retirees. Current employees who retire within three months following ratification will continue to participate in the existing pre-funding retiree health plan. Employees who retire after that date will have their pre-funded retiree health care contribution returned, and will pay the Value health plan premium (employee only rate) per person per month for retiree healthcare coverage.
Retirement: Pension benefits are unchanged for current retirees, and current active employees will continue to participate in AMR’s defined benefit plan. Employees hired following ratification will be participate in a company-matched defined contribution plan, no less favorable than the plans offered to management, with a maximum employer matching contribution of 5.5 percent.
Job security: Under terms of the tentative agreement, TWU members will no longer perform daytime cabin and fueling work or work as bus drivers. More than 1,200 employees now in these classifications, however, will have their jobs protected and will be transferred to other assignments within their city. In addition, the system protection date has been adjusted to 6/26/2000, providing job security to more than 1,000 Title III fleet service clerks hired on or before that date.
TWU fleet service and ground service workers will have the opportunity to review the agreement and vote at their respective work locations.
